QU receives $171,000 grant to improve security at Francis Hall

Quincy University has received a $171,900 grant from the Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust to finance the first phase of an enhanced campus security project.

A press release issued by QU Monday morning said the project will involve creating a security card access system at Francis Hall, the university's main academic and administrative building.

In addition, the grant will finance the installation of security cameras throughout the campus.

"We are grateful to the Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust for its support of this vital security initiative," QU President Robert Gervasi said in the release. "We are proud of QU's excellent record for security, and this project will enhance campus safety even further."

The Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust was established by the granddaughter of Robert W. Gardner, founder of the Gardner-Denver Company. The trust provides support annually to not-for-profit organizations in Quincy and the surrounding communities.

In years past, the bank administering the fund would publicly announce all grant awards in any given year simultaneously, usually around Christmas. However, this process stopped with the distributions awarded in December 2011. Now, the bank no longer issues public announcements about the annual awards. Instead, it only notifies the recipients who are then free, if they wish, to make an announcement.